Manipur hit by protests against merger with India

Manipur government ordered deduction of one-day salary of its employees who were absent from office on Saturday, the day on which an armed outfit gave a 24-hour general strike in protest against the alleged ‘forceful’ merger of Manipur to Indian Union.
National Revolutionary Front Manipur (NRFM) imposed the strike to register a protest against forced merger of the then kingdom of Manipur into Indian Union in 1949.
The strike commenced from Friday midnight hit normal life in the state, particularly in Imphal, and other parts of the valley districts.
Owing to the shutdown, business establishments in important market places in Imphal city and its outskirt remained closed for the day.
Oil pumps downed their shutters. A sharp reduction in the traffic volume was witnessed across the streets in Imphal where even computerised traffic signals were not operational for the day.